Indian food industry has huge economic potential; will attract large scale investments

The living tradition of diverse and healthy Indian food has a huge economic potential and will attract large scale investments as well as create more job opportunities, Amitabh Kant has said.
“The potential of Indian food and retail segment is enormous. It is projected to touch 482 billion by financial year 2020 which is 250 billion right now,” CEO, Niti Aayog, Amitabh Kant was quoted by PTI as saying.
“The sector has a huge potential of attracting investment while creating a vast amount of employment. Several studies suggest that we can create 10 million employment in next 4-5 years simply by providing impetus to the food industry,” he was further quoted by PTI as saying.
According to him, there is no better way to appreciate India than its food and the country can create its own “brand value” by focusing on organic farming, reported PTI.
“We take food as a spiritual experience. That is why we eat with our hands. Being one of the 17 mega diverse countries in the world we have a large variety of crops in terms of bio diversity.
“Sikkim for example was declared 100 per cent organic by the Government last year. I believe that India has a vast potential in creating a unique brand value of its own by focusing on organic farming,” Kant was quoted by PTI as saying at the “Tasting India Symposium”.
He added that organic local produce must also be included in Government programmes as well as mid-day meals.
“Strengthening the produce of nutritional foods in this country is also very important. The local organic produce should be included in Government programmes, public distribution system and mid-day meals,” he was quoted by PTI as saying.
According to a PTI report: Kant, who has also served as secretary of Tourism in Kerala, called for focusing on the diverse regional cuisine of the country which will help in providing a boost to the travel and tourism sector.
“While we have discovered much of non-Indian cuisine we have not yet discovered the regional cuisine of India. The world of travel and tourism works on a very simple principle and that is ‘differentiation’.
“When I became the secretary of Tourism in Kerala we went back to the state’s cultural roots and focused on the architecture, the cultural art forms and the traditional cuisine which presents an array of aroma, textures and colours,” he was quoted by PTI as saying.
He also launched the book “First Food: Culture of Taste” on Tuesday published by the Center for Science and Environment.
The book delves into the natural factors that contributed towards shaping India’s multi-cuisine culture.
The three-day Symposium is set to continue till March 2 at India International Centre.